Watch the demolition (unbuilding) of the Grace and Pearman Bridges (old Cooper River Bridges)


The Bridge Blog
A dialog about our new bridge and these web pages

Overview. Schools and universities are all about learning - and learning is mostlly brain training. Learning is expedited by repetition and forgetting is expedited by infrequent use of learned skills or information. Tracking the building of the Ravenel Bridge and now tracking the demolition of the Grace and Pearman Bridges bring many questions to me and help me better understand the role Google and the Internet play in just-in-time learning. I enjoy chasing my curiosity and want to identify ways to encourage younger learners to also enjoy curiosity chasing and learning.

Many young learners do not understand the importance of repetition. More important, while experienced learners understand the learning process they often do not realize the destructive effects of the forgetting process. Over the course of the bridge project, I have access to only a few experts. Rather than a liability, this has become an asset and pushed me to improve my search skills with Google. Soon, I realized that answers to questions encountered during my photo adventures were often only a Google-search away. Gene Stead, my first boss and I put these ideas together in a small essay: (see Restoring the Joy in Learning).

Google + Internet have become dependable extensions of my memory. Insights I gain from you and this project will find their way into the learning centers in our schools and universities.

Wed, 10 Aug 2005

August 10, 2005: Demolition in full swing
While I always understood that building required more time than unbuilding I never really felt the difference. Tracking the construction of the Ravenel Bridge, in retrospect, was a leisurely activity. Tracking the demolition (I prefer unbuilding) of the Grace and Pearman structures (bridges as well as approaches) is turning into a twice daily affair - early morning (6am) and early evening (6pm). I'll keep this schedule as long as possible. The folks at Jay Cashman - Testa have been fantastic and helped me understand not only the demolition process but the sequencing required to manage demolition without shutting Charleston down for 6 months.

posted at: 09:24 | path: | permanent link to this entry

Write me:
frank.starmer at gmail.com

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